For Fear of Us
by blacksunset1214
Summary: Equipped with only the memory of her name, Angela finds herself in a small village, Castanet. Hoping that she might regain her memories, she decides to stay and run an abandoned farm. But as she begins to unravel the mysteries of her past, strange and horrible events begin to occur. Why does everybody act so strange? What ties does Angela have with this place?
1. Chapter 1

**Oh gosh, this is such a bad habit. I've really gotta stop posting new multi-chapters when I have like five more going on. *sigh* Whaddaya gonna do, eh? Sometimes I'm just really impatient. And yes, I lied again. I wrote like the first three chapters. But either way, I really hope you enjoy this!**

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**ƨU ʇo ɿæᖷ ɿoᖷ**

_I think she's waking up!_

_We already talked about this. No, she isn't. Now please, go home and get some rest. You've been holed up here in the clinic for two days._

_But look! Her eyes are moving under her eyelids; that's gotta mean something!_

_It only means that she's dreaming, not that she's about to wake up. Go. Home. Now._

_B- but Jin… I just wanna be there when she wakes up… She should at least know who rescued her!_

_She'll know. I'll tell her when she wakes up. Now leave. You're starting to get bags under your eyes._

_You promise?_

_Yes, yes. I promise. Now get out, Luke. Before I kick you out._

_Fine. But I'm definitely coming back tomorrow!_

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My eyelids are heavy, and I struggle to lift them. Eventually, they open to reveal a blurry mass of blobs; everything is white, so I can't differentiate them. Where am I? I can hear the scribbling of a pen not too far away, so I know that there's somebody nearby. When my vision clears, I realize I'm staring at the black-on-white speckled tiles of a ceiling. When I try to sit up, I groan at the sharp pain in my left arm. The scribbling stops.

"Hey, now. Stay still, you're still recovering. Don't put any pressure on your arm or leg," an Asian doctor rolls towards me in his wheelie chair. His long hair is tied back into a pony tail, and silver-framed glasses are perched on the bridge of his nose.

Looking down, I see that my left arm is in a sling, and my right leg is in a cast. "Where am I?"

"Castanet," he answers simply. "My name's Jin. Do you remember anything? You had quite a fall, I would imagine."

Did I remember anything? I search my mind for anything I can recall about myself and what I was doing before I ended up here, but I can only remember one thing. It's better than nothing, I suppose. "I remember my name. It's Angela Culockis," I declare.

His face briefly changes into an unreadable expression, before returning to his normal stoic gaze. What was that about? "Hm, I see," he writes something on his plain, wooden clipboard.

"So, where is Castanet located? How did I get here?"

"You were found washed ashore on the beach. Castanet is a small village, isolated from the mainland."

"Will I have to stay here?"

"You'll be discharged in a few days, but your arm and leg will take awhile to heal. I suggest staying here, at least until you regain your memories."

"How long do you think that'll be?"

It might be today, or a year from now; there's really no telling," he shrugs.

Eh, what the hell. There's nowhere for me to go, anyways. "... Okay. But where will I live? I have no money."

"There's an old, abandoned farm down the road. I'm sure you can live there for the time being," he assures. "Just lay back down and rest for a bit. I'll check up on you later."

He smiles at me, but doesn't quite reach his eyes. In fact, it seems… forced. Sinister. Secretive. All of the above. I reluctantly smile back at him, then lie down and close my eyes, letting the darkness fill my vision.

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**Hm, I'm only realizing now how short this is. But I alread typed out the second chapter, so I don't really feel like changing anything. That one is definitely longer, though. By first impressions, though, what did you guys think? Criticism is always accepted. I'm thinking I should update weekly, but since this is a preview, I was thinking that I'd update in a two or three days, then update weekly from then on. I think that makes sense. I know exactly where I want this to go, so typing it up won't be so bad.**

**P.S. This is going to be Angela-centric, I don't know if there's going to be romance, so no pairings as of yet. It's going to have horror, Ima warn you. Leave a review, please? In a couple days, see you later!**

**- blacksunset1214**

_**There is a reason for everything.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Woohoo, another chapter! I've chosen Wednesdays to update, because to me, Wednesdays are the worst days. They're smack in the middle of the week, and then you realize that you have to go through two more days until the weekend. Plus, that day I have an hour of English.**

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**ƨU ʇo ɿæᖷ ɿoᖷ**

_I'm standing in the living room of a cozy house. It's a bit small, but cozy, nonetheless. Two little girls are running around, playing catch with a rubber bouncy ball. I try to move so I can get a good look at their faces, but my feet are glued to the floor. They don't notice me as I watch them giggle together from afar. I can tell they're laughing, yet I can't make out any of the words they say, or their names. Not long after, another woman steps out from what I assume to be the kitchen. She has a ladle in her hand, and says something to the girls, waving her arms around wildly. The little girls slump their shoulders, grab their ball, and trudge upstairs, while the woman heads back into the other room. What is this place? I want to see more, but the image dissolves and fades away._

A tap on my arm nudges me awake and I groan in annoyance, opening my eyes and glaring at the person, which happens to be Jin. It's my second day here in the clinic, and I already can't wait to get out and away from him. The way he looks at me gives me chills. Luckily, I'll be discharged in a few days. Until then, I'll have to suck it up and wait.

From what he's told me, Castanet is a tight-knit village; everybody knows everybody. I'm eager to meet some of them once I'm out of the clinic, to hear voices other than Jin's and anything else but the obnoxious scribbling of pen on paper. I'm desperate for a speck of any color other than white. Yet here I am; the scribbling of a pen filling my ears, and staring at a plain, white wall. All while inhaling the nauseating odor of medicine, which is starting to make me feel suffocated.

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_Yes! Today's the day I'm finally being discharged!_ I can barely contain my smile, or think straight. Freedom is as close as ever, as soon as Jin finishes explaining how to take care of my broken limbs. Everything he says goes in one ear then comes out the other, but I nod my head anyways so I'll be able to leave sooner.

"… And that's all there is to know," Jin concludes. "You're all set. Did you get all that, Angela?"

"Uh-huh," My mind says no, but my head nods yes.

"You're very eager to leave, aren't you?" He snickers after noticing my wide grin.

"Well, you try lying in bed all day, doing nothing!" I huff.

He smiles, but it's the same one he always gives me; one that doesn't quite reach his eyes. The strange glint in his eyes isn't helping, either.

"Well, you're free to go now. Make sure you come back for check-ups," he says. "Oh, I almost forgot. Do you need help finding your new home?"

_No way, José._ I'm not spending any more time with him than I have to. "Nah, I'm good. I'll find my way there."

He nods and looks at his clipboard once again, and I take that as my cue to leave. Waving half-heartedly at him, I hurriedly push the door open and step outside.

_Freedom!_ My inner voice chants over and over again, filling me with excitement and anticipation. Where should I go first? Who should I introduce myself to? I head down some steps to get to the lower part of what I'm assuming to be the town. It's pretty small, but the way it's set up is so _different._ The stores seem to be stacked on top of each other, with stairways leading up to the higher levels.

I've only taken a couple of steps, before somebody taps me on my forearm. As if on instinct, my hand cups my arm and I twist away from whoever it is, whirling around to meet them. Standing in front of me is a short, stubby man, with gray hair and a powder-blue suit.

He holds his hand out and smiles at me. "Hello, you must be that girl I've heard all about! It's nice to meet you. I'm the mayor, Hamilton."

I shake his hand cautiously and blush. People have been talking about me? Who? "It's nice to meet you. I'm Angela. Um, I was told there's an old farm down the road. Is it okay if I stay there? Dr. Jin wants me to live here for awhile, at least until I recover and regain my memories."

"Ah, of course!" he claps his hands together. "You can work on the farm until then, to earn a little money for food and supplies. Until the casts come off, I'll ask somebody to help you out."

He starts going off about how great Castanet is, where all the stores are, how to upgrade blah, and blah blah blah. I stop listening to him, because walking towards us is a gift from God.

"So, if you want blah, you have to blah blah, then go blah doo blah blurb blob…" the hot guy comes nearer and nearer. He has platinum blond hair, glacier-blue eyes, and is wearing a sweater-vest-khaki combo. I can't rip my eyes from him. He stops behind Hamilton, and taps him on his shoulder. Hamilton stops speaking and turns around.

"Oh, hello Gilligan! Angela, this is my son, Gill."

That's his son? Damn. I can't see the resemblance. I blush and wave shyly, hoping to seem at least slightly cute. I don't think it worked, though. Gill only nods at me curtly, piercing me with his cold glare.

"Father, there is important business you must attend to at the Town Hall," he says without emotion.

"Okay, okay. I'm off, then. Angela, do you know your way around? If you want, Gill could show you around later, after you're settled in."

I'm about to say yes, but then I see the expression on Gill's face, one with anger and stubbornness and protest. "No, that's okay. I'm sort of tired; I think I'll go to bed early." His face relaxes instantly, and I feel my heart sink. Before Hamilton has any time to say anything else, I wave them goodbye and stalk off in the direction of my new home.

The stone pathway turns to dirt path at the end of the bridge. The path splits into two, one going towards the beach. I take the path to beach instead, walking along the shore, admiring the navy blue ocean and pristine white sand. As I look to the horizon, I see no ships, no nearby islands; just an empty canvas of water, a barrier between me and the rest of the world.

It's then when I realize that the sun is beginning to set. A light purple hue dusts the sky and the light casts eerie shadows along the cliffside.

Further down the road is where my farm is settled. I'm surprised to see that it's still in good condition, having been abandoned. I expected a shack falling apart at the hinges, but it looks as if it was newly built. Inside, the walls are painted mint green, and a kitchen with new appliances sits on one side. On the opposite side is a rather large double bed.

When I prepare to take a shower, I mentally smack myself upside the head. _Shit, I forgot to get new clothes! Now what'll I wear to sleep?_ The digital clock next to my bed reads ten o'clock at night; it's too late to run down to the store. I'll just have to go down there tomorrow morning. For tonight, I'll sleep in these clothes.

An hour later, after a quick shower, I'm snuggled underneath my bed sheets. After flicking off the lamp, I shut my eyes and fall into a deep sleep.

_I find myself in a small room that's all white. A tiny cot lies off to the side, the sheets crumpled up in a messy heap. There are no windows, and a table with two chairs on opposite sides is pushed against the wall. Next to the table are two brunette girls, facing each other. Are those the two little girls I saw before? They appear to be in their early or mid-twenties. I'm standing at the doorway, and find that I can't move a muscle. From my perspective, I cannot see their faces. I can see that one of the girls has long hair and wears a white gown, while the other's is cut into a short bob; she dons a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I have short hair; is that girl me? I watch as the short-haired girl reaches forward and embraces the other girl. The other girl buries her face in her shoulder, but her arms are stiff and do not leave her sides._

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**Well, there you have it! I really hoped you liked it, things are going to pick up soon. Leave a review, please? ^_^v**

**- blacksunset1214**

_**There is a reason for everything.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so... Good news and bad news. The good news is that I updated (somewhat) on time. I was only two days late. The bad news, is that my computer sort of got taken away for awhile. Therefore, updating should be a little shaky, and not every week. I'm sorry. :( But, all that aside, I present to you the third chapter of For Fear of Us! Enjoy.**

**P.S. I made a small change in the last chapter, because I forgot to add something. If you didn't see it, in the second dream, the two girls are in their early or mid-twenties.**

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**ƨ****U ****ʇ****o ****ɿ****æ****ᖷ ****ɿ****o****ᖷ**

"Hey, Angela, is it? Mayor Hamilton asked me to help you out, today. Are you in there?" a voice calls from outside, waking me from my slumber. Who is this person, and why do they dare interrupt my sleep?

I groan and toss my sheets aside, glancing at the clock. _Seven in the fire-trucking morning._ It's too early for this. When I open the door, in front of me stands a cheery-looking brunette, wearing a yellow dress. Her hair is cut into a short bob. I stand at the doorway, staring at her. She shifts uncomfortably for a second, before smiling brightly.

"Hi! I'm Renee. I live down at Horn Ranch in Flute Fields. Hamilton said you needed some help? I'll help you take care of your animals until your arm is out of that sling."

"Hold on for a second, lemme get changed first," I tell her with half-lidded eyes, before closing the door.

"Alright, but be quick. It's already pretty late, so we'd better get a move on!" she says. It's only seven in the morning. How can that be late? I shake my head and walk into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. It's too early for this.

When I walk outside, Renee is standing near the entrance to my barn. Inside, there are a couple of cows, sheep, and goats. Renee shows me the basics; how to use my milker, how to use my shears, etc. I'm still half asleep, so I miss little tidbits. I should be okay in the long-run, though.

After we're finished in the barn, we head into the coop, where many chickens and ducks are walking around. She shows me how to feed and take care of them. By the time she's done, it's already eight-thirty.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Angela. It was nice meeting you!" Renee waves at me and smiles. I stop her before she leaves to ask a quick question.

"Before, when you said it was 'late'; what time should I be waking up?"

"It's a good habit to wake up at six in the morning. That way, you can finish your chores faster and have time to do other things," she explains. Six in the morning?! Oh hell, no. Seven is a perfectly okay time to get up. Eight is even better.

Later in the morning, Anissa, from Marimba Farm, shows up and teaches me how to tend to my crops. She has long, brown hair and pale skin. A little quiet, but nice, nonetheless.

By noon, I'm free to do whatever I please, so I decide to head up the mountain. The sign near my house calls it the 'Garmon Mine District'. The early summer breeze tickles my skin as I head across the rickety bridge. The loud rush of the waterfall provides the only noise.

Past the bridge is a small community. There are small shops all lined together, with a few exceptions. But geez, why is this place so quiet? There isn't a person in sight; the place seems to be completely empty. It's already early in the afternoon. Shouldn't there be little kids running around, or at least one person taking a walk or something? I take a couple more steps, looking around for any signs of life; anything.

The crunch of new footsteps startles me. Somebody's here, but who? There's nobody, or nothing behind me when I turn around. "Who's there?" I call out. No answer, but I continue to hear more footsteps. "Who's there?!"

"Boo!" a voice shouts from behind me as two hands grab my shoulders. I shriek and stumble forward, clutching my chest. Suddenly, there's wild laughter, and I whirl around to face a young man. He has dark blue hair, which is partially covered by a bandana with a flame design. He wears a vest the shade of rust with a white undershirt, jeans, and brown boots. I can't see his face, because he's doubled over laughing.

When he finally stops and stands up straight, I see that he has golden cat-like eyes and a button nose with a bandage across it. How cute.

"You should've seen the look on your face! Priceless!" he starts to laugh again, but stops himself. "Anyway, I'm Luke! It's nice to meet you!"

He grins at me, and I can't help but smile back. There's something about him that makes his enthusiasm contagious. "I'm Angela!"

"Say, I was on my way to Fugue Forest to go and chop down some lumber. Wanna come with me?" he cocks his head to one side. _Should I go? I mean, it's not like I'm busy or anything. I should make new friends while I'm here, so I might as well go with him._ I nod, and he grabs my arm and drags me across the bridge and down the mountain and past my farm towards Flute Fields. We eventually stop at the entrance of a thick forest, and he leads me in.

It's dark in here. Sunlight doesn't shine through the thick canopy of leaves. Luke and I chat while he chops down trees, so I don't feel as alone. Out of the corner of my eye, I see something move. What was that? An animal? Please be an animal… Please be an animal… When I turn around again, Luke is gone and I'm all by myself.

"Luke!" I call out desperately. "Where are you?!" He doesn't answer. Where did he go? Why did he leave me?

I wander aimlessly about, in the same area, just in case Luke decides to come looking for me. Not far away, I spot what seems to be a small bracelet; It's made with a simple string, with tacky, plastic beads strung together in a symmetrical design. When I pick it up and hold it in my palm, a memory floods my mind.

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_"Molly! Molly! I made this for you." The two little girls from the dream I had a few days ago stand in a bedroom, painted pink. The other girl takes the bracelet from her and slips it on her tiny wrist. It's a little big, but she makes sure it doesn't fall off, when she wraps the girl in a hug._

_"Thanks, Angela! You're the best sister ever!"_

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**A little too rushed. Maybe I'll go back later and change some stuff. I had to cut it short, because I wanted to finally get it out. It's winter recess, so I had more time to write. I hope it was good, I hope you liked it. Mistakes? Typos? Tell me. Criticism is always accepted. Whether you have some, though, review? I'm not forcing you, but it would mean a lot. :) Until next time.**

**-blacksunset1214**

_**There is a reason for everything.**_


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